The annual Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival returns for its 74th year this weekend as spring officially begins on Friday.

Every year across three days, thousands of residents and visitors will gather in the streets of downtown Fairhope with over 200 artists offering fine art, crafts and other goodies to patrons, along with live music and other entertainment.

This year's featured artist is Natalie Catar. Growing up in Louisiana, Catar has been a Fairhope resident for almost 10 years, with her work being shown in galleries across both Louisiana and Alabama in cities such as Mobile, Montgomery and Orange Beach. She has also worked in scenic art for theater and film production, most notably the 2003 film "Big Fish."

Catar had to put her art aside for a time to focus on her family, helping her daughter get in to college. When the festival asked her if she would want to be this year's featured artist, Catar saw it as an opportunity to get back into art full time.

"She's in college now, and I always said I'd get back to it full time," Catar said. "I've always done a little bit on the side, and years ago I worked in scenic art for the movie 'Big Fish.' I've worked in theater as a scenic artist, then I've had stuff in galleries, so I would love to get back in galleries and work in that capacity again."

Much of her work is in black and white, but she also does work in color and neutral tones. Her featured piece for the festival is "The Heron," a 16-by-20 oil on canvas inspired by the herons that can be commonly spotted at the Fairhope Pier. Copies of her featured piece will be available at the merchandise table during the festival.

"In a lot of cultures, herons are seen as good luck and they're known for prosperity and higher knowledge," Catar said. "They're actually kind of interesting birds, and they are self-reliant. They fish by themselves. They're really independent, and it's kind of like an artist who works alone."

Despite winter deciding to have its last stand early this week, the weather is expected to warm up just in time for the festival this weekend, something Catar is looking forward to as the festivities approach.

"It's always fun," Catar said. "It's always fun to see all the people. It's fun to see all the different art. It's fun to smell the food. It's like going to a fair in Louisiana or something."

The Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival runs from March 20 through March 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All proceeds go back into the community through scholarships and grants available to students and organizations in Fairhope.

Visit www.fairhopeartsandcraftsfestival.com for more information.